Yep, i'd take new SFS in an instant. New SFS is on the doorstep of the city, and all the sponsorship opportunities that come with it. A brand spanking new, fully enclosed, rectangular stadium within easy reach of multiple modes of public transport, and a stack of entertainment options pre and post game.
Kogarah is an oval and has to stay so because of the trust rules under which it was originally gifted (i've heard it has to stay an oval to allow for cricket to be played there, even though its been decades since it last did). It's got the same issues as the SCG, funny angles, along way back from the sideline etc. It's also a ****heap, toilet bowl of a ground with nothing anywhere near it except for sizzler.
We move to Kogarah permanently and i'm out. This was the 1st year i haven't been a (season ticket holder) member since 2011.
The sharks have a fair weather member base already and moving away from that base would only add to the problem of actually getting more members.
The NRL judges clubs on KPIs which membership is high on their list. We have been steadily increasing this (except for this yr, COVID). If We move to SFS, that would affect our membership massively, In turn we have more focus from
NRL, thus giving media and other clubs more opportunities to aim at sharks, which we don’t want.
We have large amounts of members who are outside the area, who attend the stadium (shark park) , as it is our home ground, not kogarah or SFS. We are Cronulla Sutherland sharks, not the kogarah or Sydney or SFS sharks.
We have our friendly FB keyboard warriors, who are complaining that the sky is falling or sharks are bankrupt or where’s the $40 million in the bank or ‘sharks are going to be at kogarah for long time and I won’t go there, as I hate the place so I won’t support the sharks; honestly they are our team get down there some time, watch a few games and some of that $$ spent goes to club which could help update shark park.
I know I have came down from townsville in 2018, then last yr from Darwin (unfortunately COVID stopping me this year) , however I will be there next yr a lot diving from newie. The reason for it, 1. It’s the team I have been following for many years, 2. Catch up with a friends and family and 3. It is home.
I don’t want us to be like dragons or west’s playing from two - three stadiums.
